Thursday, January 31, 2013Morning jam: What a relief for Backstrom
By ESPN Stats & Information

Wild 3, Blackhawks 2 (F/SO)* Wild: won 7 of last 9 at home dating back to last season
* Wild: won 3 straight vs Blackhawks (all wins came in shootout)
* Jonathan Toews (CHI): Goal (4); 5-game point streak (3G, 2A)
* Blackhawks: 1st loss of any kind this season (started 6-0-0)

FROM ELIAS:Niklas Backstrom stopped all 28 shots on goal against him after replacing Minnesota's starting goaltender, Josh Harding, at the 6:45 mark of the first period, and then won the shootout that gave the Wild a 3-2 victory over the Blackhawks. Backstrom's first three career wins in the NHL were recorded in relief (for Minnesota in October/November 2006) but, before Wednesday's relief victory against Chicago, all 159 of his wins since then had come in games he started.

Oilers 2, Coyotes 1 (OT)* Nail Yakupov (EDM): game-winning goal (4th goal this season; leads team); goals in back-to-back games for 2nd time this season
* Oilers: 1st 2-game win streak this season
* Oilers: 2nd OT win this season (2-0 in OT)
* Oilers: 11 of their 16 goals this season have come on power play
* Coyotes: 2nd loss in last 8 games at home vs Oilers